Depression decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for psychiatric and sleep disorders due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the presence and etiology of these conditions during active duty.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for residuals of TBI prior to October 23, 2008 was denied. However, he received a separate 40% disability rating for cognitive impairment from that date onwards.,From September 10, 2013, the Veteran was granted an increased disability rating of 70% for his emotional/behavioral residuals of TBI.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims due to his death, including service connection and increased rating appeals.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining relevant medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of service connection for right shoulder dislocation, right ankle sprain, left ankle disability, sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claims for heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety, and depression) are dismissed since they were withdrawn. The claim for acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, to include anxiety and depression, is being remanded due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The AOJ must obtain updated VA treatment records and schedule the Veteran for a VA mental disorders examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's depression, NOS is related to his service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date of September 15, 1995, for service connection of major depressive disorder is granted. The initial rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder remains at 70 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression) due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's lay testimony suggests his sleep problems started in service, but a VA examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has granted an effective date of October 23, 2009 for the grant of service connection for acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD), and denied a request for an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and depression were denied initially, but later service connection was granted with a 70% rating effective October 17, 2017. The Veteran disputes the effective date of this decision.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD and Major Depression, as there was no evidence linking the current conditions to service. The STRs were unavailable, and stressor events could not be verified.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is denied, but his claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (depressive disorder) is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. Service connection has been granted for a variously diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, including diagnoses of mood disorder, depressive disorder, and adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression. The claims for TBI, PTSD, interstitial bronchiolitis and respiratory bronchiolitis, asbestosis, and increased evaluation for COPD are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for migraine headaches, to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, including the medications taken for those disabilities, due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran's claims will be further developed and a new addendum opinion is needed regarding whether his service-connected conditions aggravated his migraines.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination, including obtaining service treatment records and SSA records. The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition other than PTSD is being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a psychiatric condition and sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence. A VA examination is required for both conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for condyloma was dismissed due to her withdrawal of the appeal. The Board granted service connection for PTSD, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by an in-service sexual assault.

The Board has remanded the claims for ischemic heart disease and a psychiatric disability (including posttraumatic stress disorder) due to incomplete records and need for further verification of in-service stressors.